An American silver inkstand, Tiffany, New York, 1884, pattern number 7896, order number 3810
Lot Closed
January 17, 02:49 PM GMT
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
the round inkwell on integral shaped-rectangular stand, the surface chased with the inscription 'To Prince Louis of Battenberg in memory of pleasant hours at Athens and London from General Meredith Read, 1884' amongst spot-hammered decoration and fern fronds,
length 24cm., 9½in.
1197gr., 38½oz.
This lot will be on view in our New Bond Street galleries on 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th January 2024.
Prince Louis Alexander Mountbatten (formerly Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg 1854–1921) was a British naval officer, his career culminating when he was appointed First Sea Lord. He was involved in preparations for the British fleet in World War I but was asked to resign due to anti-German sentiment. His son Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1900–1979) also achieved great success in the Royal Navy, becoming Admiral of the Fleet in 1941.
John Meredith Read (February 21, 1837 – December 27, 1896) was U. S. consul general for France and Algeria from 1869 until 1873 when he was appointed US Minister Resident in Greece. It seems likely that he met with the Prince when the latter spent some months in Athens during the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78.
On 30 April 1884 Prince Louis married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, at Darmstadt, Germany. The Edinburgh Evening News reported in its 30 April 1884 edition that General Read had been a guest at the wedding and gifted 'an inkstand for the Prince': without doubt the present lot.